A team of students from the campus ministry of the Columbia
Church of Christ recently spent their spring break evangelizing and
fellowshipping with the 130 disciples of the Bridgetown Church of Christ in
beautiful Barbados. Stepping off
the plane we were greeted by the warmth and beauty of the eastern Caribbean,
which was only surpassed by the warmth and love of the disciples waiting to
meet us! In the days ahead we were
overawed by how the Bajan disciples welcomed us into their homes and adopted us
into their families. The
fellowship was sweet, the worship was heartfelt, the food was delectable and
the impact on everyone involved was palpable! The number of students we brought with us nearly equaled the
dozen disciples in the campus ministry there. Needless to say, instantly doubling the size of your campus
ministry will give an automatic boost to the morale, zeal and evangelistic
fervor of the church – and the impact at the local university was felt immediately. We spent our time sharing our faith and
studying the Bible with students at the University of the West Indies. It was truly inspiring to see what God
did in just one week’s time as nearly 30 visitors attended the on-campus Bible
Talk on Thursday. But God saved
the best for last as Lindsay Ryan was baptized in the Caribbean Sea after our
closing devotional on Friday night!
We tearfully said our goodbyes on Saturday but the memories and
friendships will live on for years to come. God’s kingdom is so good. We want to thank Damian and Karlene Jean-Baptiste,
evangelist and women’s ministry leader, along with our host families and the
entire congregation for an unforgettable spring break. Nikki Harte, one of the sisters from
Columbia who participated, shares her thoughts below.
I will tell of all your deeds…
Psalm 73:28
Report on Spring Break
Missions Trip to Barbados by Nikki Harte
Spring break for a college student can be spent many ways, but
our week in Barbados far surpassed anything else we could have been doing with
those seven days. This trip was a life-changing experience for me in which God
worked powerfully to mold my heart. The thing that impacted me the most was the
greatness of God’s kingdom. I am awestruck at the fact that you can travel half
way around the world and still find disciples who are faithful, loving, and
crazy-in-love with God. The immediate hospitality and love shown to us by our
brothers and sisters in Barbados is a strong testament to the power of God’s
church. I was so amazed to see the families in the church sacrifice by opening
up not just their homes to us, but their lives, time, cars, and food as well. I
personally feel like I am truly a part of the family in Bridgetown. The love we
disciples share through Christ is truly an incredible gift. Though one of the main
objectives of our trip was to encourage the church and campus ministry in
Barbados, I honestly feel like I have gained much more than I was able to
give.
Barbados is truly a special place, and being there with the
church for Spring Break was an awesome gift from God, one that has strengthened
my faith and taught me many things. If I had to sum up my spiritual life thus
far, it would be nothing more than God shaping my heart, as I sit back, stunned
by his greatness. God continues to drop his kindness into my life, proving over
and over again how good and gracious he is. This trip to Barbados is a prime
example of God’s undeserved blessing in my life. Thanks to the generosity of
the church here in Columbia, we have gotten a glimpse of the beauty of God’s
worldwide kingdom; an experience that I will be forever grateful for.
